Prayer for the Day

by Revd Canon David White

1st February 2026 - The Presentation of Christ (Candlemas)

Lord, what we have not, give us.
Lord, what we know not, teach us.
Lord, what we are not, kindly make us.
Forgive what we have been.
Sanctify what we are.
And order what we shall be.
All for your love’s sake.
Amen.

Before I was ordained, I worshiped at a church near to where I then lived. To help me work out whether God really was calling me to ministry in the Church of England I would meet with the Rector on a regular basis. He was generous with his time and fulsome in his encouragement - which was always realistic and balanced. I remember that at the end of each meeting he would pray and the final prayer he would say was this one. I have remembered it ever since and still use it. I don’t know who wrote it but it is thought to be Anglican in origin and can be found in different versions.

The prayer is in some anthologies and is a direct, simple, straight-forward and profound petition which has our well-being at heart. It is a prayer which can be said on various occasions or else in private. It’s also an ideal prayer to say at the end of a conversation, a meeting, a study group, because whatever has been considered and discussed is offered to God without explanation, whilst embracing our intentions and all that is in our minds at that time.